Shattered Fates: Alpha
by Jakia
Summary: Zuko has a crush on Katara. Katara is amused, and perhaps terrified, by this, at least until she discovers that his feelings aren’t as onesided as she previously thought. [zutara actionadventureangst]
1. Known Until Now

**Shattered Fates: Alpha**

Summary: Zuko has a crush on Katara. Katara is amused (and perhaps terrified) by this, at least until she discovers that his feelings aren't as one-sided as she previously thought. Unfortunately, with him comes the presence of a power-hungry sister and a dangerous plot that could end all hope of the Fire Nation ever being defeated. Lies, destruction, and a few unknown weaknesses all play a treacherous role in shattering what's left of their fate…

_A/N: Well, season two has officially made this AU, but I guess it sort of was before. Anyway, in my story, Zuko and (A)Zula are twins, not a year apart. The reasoning? Well, for one, I like the idea of them being twins, and two is that I need them to be for the plot._

_Another reason it's AU is because Iroh died, and Zula—er, Azula's job is not capturing her brother, but taking his place in capturing the Avatar, even if it means working along side with her brother._

_She and Zuko will both seem very OoC for a few chapters, but mind you, they aren't. There are good and legitimate reasons for the way they act, it's just you won't find out about it until later in the story._

_Zuko still has his hair in my story. :)_

_This is going to be part of a series that will be my own little spin-off of what happens in the show. This is the first part of the series, but there will be at least four more 'books' so to speak._

_Oh, and this turns **angsty**. I know it seems fluffy now, but trust me when I say it's going to turn very, very dark in a few chapters. I may also bump the rating up, but it depends on how psychotic I decide to make Azula. **There will be issues in this fic that may or may not be appropriate for people for people under 13.** I won't tell you what these are for fear of ruining the story, but just be wary._

_That being said, enjoy the first chapter!_

_Jak_

**Chapter One: Known Until Now**

If that stupid Prince came within five feet of her ever again, she was going to kill him.

No joke, either. She would _kill_ him, with her bare hands if she needed to, and then she would bring him back from the dead and kill him again, just for fun. He deserved it.

She had learned to ignore his day-to-day insults, all of them varying from the typical 'water peasant' to something artistically nasty about women in general. But today was the last straw—she would take no more from this man, this _boy_, even if she had to kill him.

Ever since she beat him at the North Pole two months ago, that stupid, idiotic_ boy_ kept harassing her. Rather than fight Aang, he had turned his attention towards her.

And she _hated _it.

Today would be the last straw. No more 'water peasant', no more 'silly girl', no more _anything_ from the Prince. She would strangle him, kick him, drown him, hurt him—

"Someone's in a mood." Sokka whistled in her direction, commenting on her quickly worsening temper.

She threw a shoe at him.

"Hey, don't hit _me_!" Sokka complained, tossing the shoe back at her lightheartedly. "I didn't do anything wrong!"

She glared; true, Sokka hadn't done anything _yet_, but she knew it was coming.

He laughed. "Come here, baby sister." He said, motioning for her to sit beside him on the log. She complied, and felt her brother wrap his arm around her affectionately. "Now why don't you tell me what's gotten you in such a sour mood so I can try to make it better, m'kay?"

She smiled. "Help me kill a firebender?"

"_Always_." He answered. "Which one."

"Prince Zuko." She answered, and continued to sulk.

Sokka frowned. "What did he do this time, outside of the usual?"

"It doesn't matter!" She jumped up, her face red with anger. "I'm just sick of it! Can't he find someone else to pick on? Why is it always _me_! It's always 'stupid waterbender, can't even hit right' or 'shouldn't have expected a little barbarian like yourself to be able to dodge something like that' or—GRR! He infuriates me!"

Katara was so angry that she didn't even realize Sokka was laughing at her. She realized it soon enough, for whenever she stopped ranting, he continued laughing.

"SOKKA!"

Still, he laughed. "Calm down, Katara. It will be alright."

She glared. "Alright! That stupid firebender is—it—"

Sokka smiled. "Picking on you?"

"Yes!" She growled, jumping up. "He's picking on me!"

She hated it, but the way Sokka was laughing at her made her feel silly about getting so upset about it.

"Stop laughing!" She scolded. She wished she had never told her brother—he was obviously only going to make things so much worse…

"Isn't it _obvious_?" Sokka giggled.

"No, it's not!" She frowned. "And what's obvious?" She added cautiously.

Sokka rolled his eyes. "I thought girls were supposed to be the relationship experts."

She twitched just slightly. "What relationship? There is no 'relationship' between Zuko and me!"

Sokka just continued snickering. "You haven't figured it out yet?"

"No! Now stop goofing around and _tell_ me, jerk!"

Sokka gave one last hearty laugh before answering Katara's question. "He has a _crush_ on you, you idiot."

XXX

Katara blinked, and then began to stutter. "He—I—you—_what do you mean, he has a crush on me!_" She spoke, shocked at what Sokka just told her. "You are insane. He—he doesn't have a crush on me! He _picks_ on me! How is that a crush?"

Sokka sighed. "He's a guy. That's how we men-folk deal with our feelings."

All too swiftly, Katara could remember in insanely vivid detail the time spent of Kyoshi Islands, where Sokka kept picking on Suki…

"Oh Spirits," She whispered, sitting down suddenly. "You could be right."

"I'm _always_ right." He said cockily. "Big brothers always are."

She began panicking _(Zuko can't have a crush on me…he can't…Sokka has lost his mind…)_. Her mind began playing awful tricks on her. _(How am I going to react around him…should I still fight him? Should I tell him I don't like him like that?) _Insane and dangerous thoughts began to plague her._ (**Do** I like him like that? No, don't be stupid, Katara—he's the bad guy…_)

"I'm going for a walk." She said abruptly, jumping up from her seat on the log.

Sokka looked at her curiously. "Okay, but be back soon. It's almost dark out."

He never knew what danger his sister would find in that forest.

XXX

_Maybe if I tell him I know about his crush on me, he'll stop picking on me._ She thought optimistically, wrapping her arms around herself. _But what if he tries to kiss me? What should I do then? _Hit him. _Okay, I have that figured out, but what if something goes wrong? I don't want to hurt him—_

_And why not?_ Her mind argued. _He's your **enemy**._

_But he's still a person._ She thought wryly. _And I'd—I'd hate to break his heart. I'd hate to break anyone's heart._

A sudden burst of wind broke Katara from her current thoughts. _It's cold,_ she thought quietly. _I should have brought my parka._

Then she caught sight of _him_; the current subject of her thoughts, and all other thoughts abandoned her.

He looked different, somehow. Gone was the gleaming red armor of his nation; instead he wore a plain black tank and matching pants. But it wasn't so much his clothes that seemed different, as it was his expression—a sort of melancholy sadness that surrounded him. It almost reminded Katara of guilt, but from what she had no idea.

He was kneeling by the river carefully, a stick in one hand as he gently moved the water back and forth, more caught up in his own thoughts than that of the river bank. He seemed…innocent, a word Katara never expected to use to describe him, and sad. Katara had never seen the Fire Prince use any other emotion outside anger, and for him to look so upset…

In a morbid sense of curiosity, Katara stepped forward, if only to try to see what he was so heartbroken about.

_Snap_.

_Oh crud._ Katara thought aimlessly, as the Fire Prince turned his attention straight to her without a second of hesitation. Like all good, trained soldiers, he was on his feet in seconds—his gloomy aura replaced by his typical scowl in a heartbeat—at least, until he saw who it was.

"Oh," He said quietly, dropping his stance for just a moment. "It's _you_." He spit out as if she were poison and not the other way around. "I suppose you are here to fight, then."

"Not really." She surprised herself with her own honesty. "Not unless I have to."

"Good," He said slowly, completely dropping his stance and returning to his seat on the riverbank. "Because I had no intention of fighting. Not today, at least."

He curled his knees to his chest tightly, keeping his arms crossed on top of them as he stared into the water blankly.

"Aren't you going to ask me where the Avatar is?" Katara asked, as she sat a few good feet away from the Prince.

He did not even look up at her as he answered. "Some other day, perhaps." He spoke softly, almost gently, were it not for the desolate echo that had crowded his once-proud voice.

A wave of compassion struck her—stronger than she had ever felt before. His gold eyes seemed so downcast—it gave a bitter sense of remorse that made it seem as though the Fire Prince would never be happy again.

"Are you alright?" She spoke softly, barely above a whisper. For a second, she thought he did not hear her until he suddenly snapped.

"Why do you _care_!" He growled, his eyes narrowing at her darkly. Katara would have no doubt snapped back at him, were it not for the emotional pain he had hidden coldly, everywhere save his eyes.

"I don't know." She answered gently. "But you seem so upset—"

"I have every _right_ to be upset!" He snarled at her, his voice filled with such bitterness that it made Katara wonder if he had ever spoken to anyone about his feelings.

An uncomfortable silence descended between the pair before he finally broke it, sitting down from his squatting position and began to rub his head hazily into his knees.

"My uncle passed away." He broke down before her softly. "I—I haven't had the chance to mourn him, properly, and—"

Guilt began to plague Katara like she had never known before. "And then I showed up," She said cautiously. "I'm sorry—I shouldn't have bothered you." She stood up swiftly, with the purest intentions of leaving Zuko to his grief, when she felt a rough, calloused hand grab her own.

"No," He spoke hazily, as if even he was unsure of what he was asking her. "Stay."

She gave him a curious look as he let go of her hand. He blushed.

"I—I need someone to talk to," He said, almost bashfully. "Anyone outside of my sister, and—"

"You have a sister?" Katara blurted out suddenly.

He gave her a rare, small smile. "Everyone says that. Is it so strange that I have a sister that no one believes it?"

She found herself blushing. "You just seem like the only-child type."

He frowned, contemplating what she said. "We're twins. Me and Azula—that's my sister—were practically raised pitted against each other." He told her quietly. "Mother and Uncle always looked after me, while Father, Grandmother, and Great-Aunt Zhi always favored Azula." He cuddled his legs tightly as if they were his only source of comfort.

"We were always made to compete. I don't think the family ever _wanted_ us to get along, to tell you the truth." His face fell as he thought about what he was going to say next. "Now that Uncle is dead, I'm sort of stuck with her. I don't want to, but she needs me and I, unfortunately, need her, too."

He shook his head hastily as if he was trying to get rid of a sour taste in his mouth. "But that's a long story, and I don't feel like getting into all of it right now." He laughed quietly. "What about you? What are _you_ doing out here, in the middle of nowhere, by yourself?"

She raised an eyebrow suspiciously. "That desperate to forget about your Uncle?"

Zuko scowled. "I either want to mourn him or find something to distract me. I don't multitask well."

"I can tell." She grinned.

He frowned. "Look, are you going to answer my question or not?" He asked hastily.

She smiled. "I was just walking…trying to clear my head, actually."

"What were you thinking about?"

_You_. "Nothing of particular importance. Just thinking."

He smiled. (_I could get use to his smile_.) "That kind of thinking leads to dangerous stuff, milady." He joked casually, as if he were speaking to an old friend rather than his enemy.

She smiled—a soft, almost kind smile, but one should never smile kindly towards their enemy—"Good thing I'm a dangerous sort of girl, huh?"

Another laugh. "_All_ girls are dangerous."

She raised her eyebrow. "Oh, really?" She laughed, waving a hand before she splashed him with the cold water from the river.

It all went from there.

XXX

It amused Katara endlessly how much she _enjoyed_ her time spent (practically all evening) in the company of her former enemy. Suddenly, the harsh and abrasive insults were gone, and replaced with warm laughter and rough playfulness.

They talked about anything and everything they could—from the weather ("Why is it so cold? It's almost spring." She said, shivering. "You're cold?" He asked sounding concerned. "Here, take my jacket—No, I don't need it—")

…to their families ("Sokka once stuffed 150 pieces of seal jerky in his mouth at one time." He laughed. "Oh, that's nothing. One time, while we were at this important dinner thing with all these people, Azula burped loudly in front of _everyone _in the whole court!")

…to freckles ("I have one on my left ankle," he lifted his pant leg and showed her the smallest of freckles. She giggled and told him that most of hers were on her stomach.)

It didn't stop her from feeling like she had just betrayed her best friend, though.

"It's late." She whispered quietly. "I…I need to go, my friends—"

"I'm not stopping you." He said stoutly, leaning back against tree, pulling out a knife and cutting away at a stick he was holding.

"I—" She started slowly, words failing her. "Will I ever see you again?"

"I imagine so." He spoke with the smallest hint of anger in his voice. "I'm still after your friend, you know."

_Right, we're still enemies._ "So we pretend none of this ever happened?" _I kind of like you when you aren't hounding my friends and me…_

He set his knife down quietly, an unearthly silence filling the bulk of the forest: "We don't have to." He whispered so low that she almost didn't hear him.

"We could meet in secret." He looked up at her, an odd glint of emotion in his eyes. "No one has to know. I mean, I—"" he looked lost for words. "I _liked_ talking to you, Katara. I…you're fun, and you help distract me from…everything else that's going wrong in my life." He turned away, the smallest hint of red covering his face.

"We could meet in town. We'd blend right in with the crowd. You could get away from your friends for a little while, and I'll make up some excuse to my sister…"

"Okay," She spoke lowly, neither of them sure why they were talking so quietly while they were alone in the forest. "When should we meet?"

"Tomorrow, definitely." She nodded in agreement.

"What _time_?"

He paused, thinking about it for a second. "Sunset. We can meet here at sunset tomorrow."

"Alright." She smiled at him, pulling his jacket closer on her body. "I'll see you tomorrow, then."

She felt the smallest of kisses brush against her cheek. "Goodbye, Katara."

It wasn't until she was halfway to where their campsite was did she realize she had just agreed to go on a _date_ with the Prince of the Fire Nation.

_Sokka was right. He does have a crush on me. _She thought as she felt heat rise to her face. _And I think I like him back._

XXX  
END CHAPTER

Read, review, enjoy! Next chapter...soon, I imagine. :)

Jak


	2. A Perfect Broken Heart

_You know, Aang is one hell of a character to write. 0o. I never thought writing in the little guy's point of view would be all that difficult, but it is. He may be a little out of character, but at least I tried. _

_You'll find out why Zuko's so OoC about chapter four, methinks, at least a little bit of why he is. Most of the explanation for things that happen in this fic will be told in it's sequel, **Endless Winter**, so just hang with me, alright?_

_Also, fluff will end in the next chapter, just to warn you again. _**This story will turn angsty.**_ Don't be surprised anymore._

_And I know they don't have watches or any convenient method to tell time in Avatar—LEAVE ME TO MY DREAMWORLD!11 /sarcasm_

_Jak_

**Chapter Two: A Perfect Broken Heart**

The hardest thing for Katara was explaining the presence of the jacket.

"It's _just_ a jacket." She muttered to her brother. "Why are you getting so uptight about it?"

Sokka rolled his eyes at her, as if to tell her she should already know the answer to that. "Because it isn't _your_ jacket, Katara."

Aang circled around her, admiring the black jacket on her body. "It looks Fire Nation."

Sokka almost died.

"I'm serious." Aang noted, lifting the sleeve (which was much too long on her) on the jacket. "The embroidery, the style—even the _fabric_ looks Fire Nation."

"You were in an iceberg for a hundred years! How do you know what Fire Nation fashions are?" She argued, feeling the heat rise to her face despite her attempts to stop it. "For all you know, this is an Earthbender jacket!"

Aang looked at her, bemused. "The styles don't change much." He commented lightly. "Earthbender's aren't known for their dark colors, and very few of them wear a jacket this light. You know as well as I do that it isn't Water Tribe, and if someone managed to get a hold of an Airbender jacket I would be thoroughly impressed."

Aang noticed her fallen look, and changed his argument almost immediately.

"But I suppose it _could_ be Earth Kingdom. The cut of the jacket looks very earthy." He lied, and Katara was very grateful.

"So whose jacket is it?" Sokka glared. "And don't tell me you stole it. I'm not sure I could handle knowing my sister was a professional thief."

"I didn't steal it." Katara whispered, looking down at her feet nervously. "I got it from a boy."

Aang's heart fell; Sokka continued glaring.

"I should hope you got it from a boy!" Sokka yelled, his temper rising. "_Which_ boy?"

_The Prince of the Fire Nation_. "Just some boy I met in the woods."

Sokka rubbed his temples tiredly. "So you met a boy." She nodded. "In the woods." Again, she nodded. "Who wears a Fire Nation jacket." She opened her mouth to argue, but Sokka gave her no time to do so. "And you were planning on telling us this—when?"

She winced. "This afternoon."

Sokka raised an eyebrow. "And I'm supposed to believe this, why?"

Katara looked up, a glint of defiance in her eyes. "Because I'm going to see him again this evening."

"Like hell you are!" Sokka yelled, his blue eyes glaring. "There is no way I'm letting _my_ baby sister go off and meet with some strange boy _who I don't even know_ to do Spirits knows what—"

Katara was so angry she slapped him.

Aang stepped back, blinking. It was a rare thing to see Katara so angry, but it seemed as though Sokka had finally pushed her over the edge.

"For one thing, I'm not a child." She growled to her brother, who was rubbing his cheek carefully. "I'm fifteen years old, and I am a Master Waterbender. I can take care of myself better than you can!" She rumbled. A pot of water near their campfire began bubbling at an enormous rate.

"Second, he's not just some strange boy! He saw I was lost and cold and offered to help me!" She made up a lie easily, hoping to paint a more heroic picture of Zuko, if only in her mind's eye. "He asked if I would like to join him for dinner tomorrow and I said yes! I'm going to have dinner with him, Sokka, not sleep with him!"

Sokka sighed and stood up, grabbing his sister's shoulders and pulling her tightly into a reluctant hug. "I know," he whispered, his own anger dying as quickly as Katara's had risen. "I know you aren't a child, I know that you can take care of yourself, I just—" He stopped, sighing heavily before letting her go. "Dad made me promise him one thing before he left, and that was for me to take care of you. I can't fail at that."

"You won't." She whispered against her brother, and Aang noticed the bubbling water had cooled and returned to its calm state. "I just want you to trust me, just this once—Can't you?"

Sokka frowned. "Can I meet him? The boy you're going to see—can I meet him?"

"No," she spoke softly. "I don't want you to." _I don't want you to be disappointed in me._

"Why not?" Sokka asked tentatively, the verbal battle the siblings just had still fresh on his mind, for fear of another fight. "If he's this great guy, why can't I meet him?"

"Because I want to prove to you that I can handle myself okay." She said, a small piece of strength finding it's way into her voice. "I want you to trust my judgment."

Sokka scowled. "I'll get invited to the wedding, though, won't I?"

She laughed. "There won't be a wedding."

"No nieces or nephews yet, either, right?" He asked, sounding genuinely worried.

"No nieces or nephews." She smiled, kissing her brother on the cheek.

"So you're going to let me go off by myself, meet a boy I barely even know and have dinner with him?" She asked jokingly. "Father would be _so_ disappointed in you." She clicked her tongue teasingly.

Sokka sulked. "That's what I'm afraid of."

She rolled her eyes at him. "Oh, stop being such a worrywart!" She began digging through her things, looking for a hairbrush as she began to undo her braid. "Anyway, I want you to promise me one thing, Sokka."

"Okay." He said as Katara combed her hair.

"Promise you won't follow me, alright? I know how you get sometimes, and well, just _don't_, okay?"

Sokka began swearing.

XXX

Her hair was down from its braid, polished and curled with a touch of femininity that Katara had not shown in a long time. She had on her best tunic and had spent at least the better half of an hour trying to find the right shoes. (Which made no sense to Aang—she only had three pairs with her!)

Aang whistled at her. "Looking good, Katara!"

She blushed; Sokka scowled. "Thanks, Aang." She looked up towards the sky with sudden realization. "I said I'd meet him at sunset! I'll be late. I guess I better go!" She said, excited. "I went ahead and made you guys some supper, Aang, your bowl doesn't have any meat in it and is by fire. Eat it before it gets too cold. Sokka, don't eat the whole pot; I want to see how long it will last us. I'll be back around eleven tonight, so—"

"More like eight-thirty." Sokka commented. Katara didn't miss a beat.

"Ten-thirty, then, I guess, so—"

"If it's nine o'clock and you aren't here I'm sending a search party after you." Sokka said, as seriously as he could.

Katara glared at him. "Nine-thirty. Deal?"

Sokka contemplated her offer. "You better be _here_ at nine-thirty or you are in trouble, got that?"

She rolled her eyes. "I get it, Sokka. Nine-thirty."

"I'm staying up and waiting for you, too. That boy better have the decency to walk you home."

She continued glaring. "I don't _need _anyone to walk me home!"

Aang could feel their fight coming a mile away. He jumped up instantly and stood in between the two siblings, his hands blocking them from each other.

"Hey now, let's not fight anymore, alright? You two give me a headache!" Aang argued, and the two siblings settled down only slightly. "Sokka, Katara is right, she doesn't need anyone to walk her home, she can handle that herself. Katara, _Sokka_ is right, we would like to meet this guy," and his heart broke just a little here. "and it would be nice of him to walk you home, alright?"

Katara said nothing, only folded her arms and growled. She turned away from Sokka and Aang, walking into the forest coldly. "I'll be back at nine-thirty." She spoke callously, not even bothering to say goodbye.

Aang winced. "Maybe we were too hard on her." He said after Katara had disappeared into the forest.

"Nah, she'll get over it." He checked and made sure Katara was gone before he continued to talk. "Anyway, Aang, I have a favor to ask you." There was an unholy glint in Sokka's eyes that promised unusual amounts of pain for somebody, though who that person was, Aang did not want to know.

"I want you to follow Katara." Sokka spoke calmly, though with a fierceness that threatened bodily harm to Aang should he disagree. "She won't bring him back with her, she's too stubborn to do something like that. I don't care, though. I want to know what kind of guy it is she's dating." He spat the last word out as though it was poison.

Aang raised an eyebrow. "Didn't she ask us specifically not to follow her?"

Sokka rolled his eyes. "No, she asked _me_ not to follow her. She said nothing about you!" The blue-eyed warrior got up and stood next to Aang, putting one arm around him like a brother. "This way we can keep her safe, you know? Besides," he began slowly, the real reason he wanted Aang to do this leaking out. "Aren't you curious?"

_Curious_, Aang agreed in his mind, _and partly terrified._

"So you'll do this for me, then?" There was that unearthly glint in his eyes again, Aang noticed as he nodded. The warrior smiled. "Oh, thank you Aang! I swear, I'll help you do whatever you want me to, man!" He crushed Aang into a giant bear hug that lifted the small monk off of the ground. "Now hurry up and follow her! Make sure you aren't seen, though!"

It was like walking into the mouth of a hungry lion.

XXX

Following Katara was easy; the young waterbender had made no attempt to hide the path she was walking along. Years of being an airbender had taught Aang how to walk without being heard, which made spying on her even easier.

It did nothing, however, to help his guilt.

Katara sat down quietly on a log near the river, staring quietly and contently up at the sky. She did not look lonely or even frightened; she seemed determined, if anything, to meet this guy. If she was suppose to meet him at sunset, then whoever he was should hurry; it would be dark soon, and if he got there too late then…

"Sorry I'm late." An all-to-familiar voice echoed through the small hollow in the woods, a voice so achingly familiar that it caused Aang to jump and his heart to pace. There, in a small clearing, stood Prince Zuko.

A part of him held out his staff, ready to do battle ("_Touch her and I'll kill you.") _but he stopped himself. If he jumped out and began fighting, Katara would realize he had been and was spying on her. He remembered all too clearly the fight she had just had with Sokka, about wanting a chance to prove she was capable of handling herself. If Aang interfered with her battle, she would get just as angry at him as she had been with Sokka. Aang didn't want that, he never wanted that.

However, he was not sure how he could live with himself if he stood by and watched Katara get hurt…but if she needed him, he would be ready. He steadied himself in the bushes, staff ready, and eyes keenly aware of everything around him as he waited for Katara to make the first move.

She didn't fight Zuko. Instead, she smiled up at the scarred Prince. "I was beginning to wonder when you'd show up."

Realization hit Aang like a ton of bricks.

Katara was not meeting with just anybody.

She was meeting with _Prince Zuko_.

Flabbergasted, it was all Aang could do to stay still in the bushes. She was meeting with Zuko? Why? What on earth had inspired her to see Zuko, and to _lie_ to them, her friends, about it? What could possibly be more important than her friends?

Zuko smiled at her in return; it was the first time in Aang's memory that he could remember the firebender ever smiling. "I know, I'm sorry. Azula…doesn't like it when things don't go her way." _Azula? Who's Azula?_ "I hope you weren't waiting for me for too long."

She grinned. "I just got here myself, actually. Sokka had a panic attack when he saw your jacket." She took the dark colored jacket off of her body and handed it to him shyly. "I meant to give it back to you yesterday, but I sort of forgot." She said sheepishly, handing the jacket over to its rightful owner.

He laughed at her. It was a genuine laugh, not cold or hard or evil, like Aang had always thought it would be. "Keep it. If you've already gone through so much trouble, I'd hate to take it back." He brushed the jacket away, and Katara blushed as she put the jacket back on. "Are you ready to go?"

She nodded.

Aang followed, but for more reasons than before. One, he wanted to make sure Katara was _safe_. Two, he wanted to see exactly why Katara was meeting with Zuko, and while it broke his heart to think this way, he wanted to make sure she wasn't jeopardizing the mission. _(Don't be stupid, Katara would never betray you.) _And reason number three…well _hell_, wouldn't you be curious too?

_Curiosity killed the cat, Aang._ He could hear Monk Gyatso say in his mind. Aang couldn't help but smile.

_But satisfaction brought him back._

XXX

"Raw fish?" the Prince asked suspiciously, as he eyed the meal Katara was eating.

"Sushi." She said, laughing quietly. She picked up a piece of it with her chopsticks and held it up to the Prince's mouth. "Go on, try it. I promise it's good."

Zuko brushed her off. "No thanks. I prefer my food cooked, if you don't mind."

She rolled her eyes at him. "It won't hurt you. Try just a little bite."

"What part of 'no raw fish' do you not get?" He asked, sounding rather exasperated with her.

"—For me?" She asked, batting her large, crystal-clear blue eyes in just the right way that it caused the firebender to blush.

But he didn't back down. He still had a spine, dammit, and no waterbender, no matter how pretty she was, no matter how many times she batted those perfect blue eyes, and no matter how contagious that sweet little laugh of hers was going to get him to do something he didn't want to.

He lifted his hand, and lit the smallest of fires on the edge of his index finger. "Can I cook it first?"

She laughed at him again; it's a gentle laugh, one that's calm, cool, and serene. It's different from the laughs he remembered from his childhood. Those laughs are harsh and cold, filled with malice and hate. The only other comparison the Prince could think of was Uncle's warm, hearty laugh, (but he didn't want to think about that).

"It's _suppose_ to be eaten raw, Zuko." She smiled. "That's what makes it taste good."

He smiled back at her. Perhaps, another day, he would he would eat the fish—the sushi—for her.

XXX

It wasn't romance.

At least, it wasn't _yet_.

In Aang's mind, at least, but that's what was keeping him sane rather than having to deal with a broken heart.

The closest thing to romance either of the pair had with one another was a brief, chaste kiss on the cheek as a way to say thank you. What happened between the two was not love, nor passion, nor desire, but curiosity. This was a chance to get to know someone (an enemy) better, to have another person to talk to, to laugh with.

It wasn't romance, Aang mused as he watched from afar. But with time, it could be.

As of right now, however, it was making the air monk sick to his stomach.

The envy (monks were not suppose to be jealous) he was feeling was eating him alive, destroying every fiber of his being that so many years of training had taught him to shy away and hide. The fact that Katara, his love, his crush, was sitting there, flirting (he had no other word for it) with his worst enemy hurt him, and yet, he could find nothing to condemn Katara for, when it came down to it. Nobody ever said she couldn't date the Fire Prince; it just seemed so unlikely to happen that no one had ever bothered.

What hurt the most was the fact that they weren't doing anything wrong.

They weren't kissing, they weren't holding hands, they weren't discussing future plans and no one was threatening to injure anyone. His name wasn't even mentioned once the whole time. The way they were acting was completely normal, actually. Seeing the two teens who had almost no normalcy in them whatsoever act so…so normal was scary to the young Avatar.

And now he had a decision to make.

One option was that he could do as he was expected to: go back to Sokka and tell him exactly what he saw and who he saw Katara with. The problem with this was that it would not end well, for anyone, really. Katara would get angry, Sokka would get angry, and Aang felt as though he himself would get hurt in the crossfire. Not physically (at least he hoped not) but emotional scarring could do so much worse. He was not sure he could handle having Katara or Sokka angry with him; the two southerners were the only friends Aang had. Without them, he would be alone. He remembered all too well the time he had lied to them both about their father's whereabouts. He had never felt so horrible as he did for that short time when his friends had left him alone. Again.

So no, option one was out. He could not betray his friends again.

Option two was to go back, lie to Sokka, and confront Katara about it later when the warrior boy was not around. This could work, he thought with a grin. He could lie to her, say he didn't mean to follow her; he just needed to go into the forest for something and happened to see her there with Zuko. If he was calm about it, Katara might even feel bad and leave Zuko. Maybe, he whistled as he continued walking back to their campsite, he would even tell her of his own feelings. A rush of confidence hit him like the wind; he could do this. He could be strong, he could win, and he could—

"Zu-ko!" A high-pitched, familiar voice echoed, laughing through the woods. Aang whirled around quickly, jumping into the bushes just swiftly enough to avoid being seen by both Prince and peasant. "Put me down!"

"And why would I want to do that, huh?" the Prince asked, twirling the girl in his arms around until both of them became dizzy. He set her down gently, a childlike grin still on his face as she left his arms.

"I have to go." She whispered sadly. "Sokka wants me back soon—"

"I understand." Zuko answered, a soft look replacing his childlike one. "But I have something for you, before you go."

She frowned. "I can't—I already have your jacket—" She stopped speaking when she saw the flower in his hand.

"Think you can hide this one?" He whispered, leaning in closer to her. He handed the red flower to her gently warning her cautiously not to poke herself on its thorns.

"What is it?" She asked, taking in the sweet smell of the foreign flower. "I've never seen a flower like this."

"It's a rose." He answered as she put the flower in her hair. "It's a common Fire Nation flower. Azula has plenty of them, and I figured you might want one."

"It's lovely," She said gently, a sudden hitch in her voice that was not there before. "Thank you."

"Don't—don't mention it." A shy blush crept to his face as she leaned in to hug him.

She left his embrace gradually. "When can I see you again?"

He shook his head. "Not tomorrow…I don't know when. Soon, I know that much."

"We'll have to leave soon," she thought aloud. "Sokka won't want to stay in one place for too long, it will be too dangerous."

"I'll follow you." He whispered softly, so low that Aang could barely hear him. "I've always managed to in the past."

"I know."

She was close to him. Closer, in fact, than Katara had ever been to him, to the point where their noses were touching and the warmth of his breath was tickling her gently.

She closed her eyes and leaned in towards the Fire Prince…

Aang left before he saw the kiss that followed.

XXX

His guilt would not let him follow his plan.

"Aang," Sokka jumped up, looking jittery and nervous as he saw the young Avatar wander into the campsite alone. "What happened? Where's Katara? Is she hurt?"

He breathed out, not realizing he had been holding his breath. "She's fine, Sokka. Just fine."

"Where is she, then? I told her to be back here by nine-thirty!"

"She's…" another pause. "She's saying goodbye to her _boyfriend_." His voice was bitter and condescending as he spat out that last word.

Sokka raised an eyebrow. "What's he like, then?"

His breath became very ragged all of the sudden; he was finding it hard to breathe. "He's nice, Sokka." He lied easily. "He's a nice guy from the Earth Kingdom—a perfect gentleman, you'd like him. Offered to walk her home and she refused. Gave her a flower. Only held her hand once, that I saw." He lied; following what Katara had already lied about earlier.

Sokka glared. "I'll kill that bastard if he does it again."

Aang leaned back, resting his head against Appa tiredly. "Are you alright, Aang?"

"I'm fine." He whispered, closing his eyes tightly. "I'm just tired."

Sokka put a grateful hand on his shoulder. "You can go to sleep, then. I'll stay awake for Ka—there she is! KATARA YOU BETTER GET OVER HERE NOW, OR YOU ARE IN TROUBLE, MISSY!"

"I'M RIGHT HERE, SOKKA!" She cried out, hopping over a log to where her brother and Aang were. Aang lifted his head from Appa's stomach and smiled rather forcibly at Katara.

"Have fun?" He asked politely.

She grinned. "Loads. I almost got him to try sushi, but—"

"And where have you been, exactly?" Sokka tapped his foot. Katara blinked at him.

"It's nine-thirty!" She complained. "I'm here on time!"

He clicked his tongue in a condescending manner. "Nine-thirty-_five_. And why is your hair so messed up? Did you get into a fight? –And what's this?" He pulled the flower from behind her ear "OW! It poked me!"

Katara laughed. "It's called a rose. It's supposed to have those pokey things on it."

Sokka held his hand where it was bleeding. "I don't get it. What's the point of having a flower if it hurts you?"

"Because it's beautiful." She said, taking out her canteen and allowing the water to flow out of it. "I don't think the rose wants to hurt you."

"I don't get it." Sokka said as his sister healed his hand. "If the rose is so beautiful, then why doesn't it just let go of it's thorns and be happy?"

"I don't think it knows how." Katara said quietly as she took the rose away from her brother. "I think the only thing it knows is how to be beautiful and to hurt. It's been hurt before and it doesn't want to get hurt again."

"It's not even _that_ pretty! Look, it's wilted on the side." Sokka looked up at her, curiously. "And it doesn't hurt you, for some reason."

"Of course it does." Katara answered, showing her brother her bloodied hand. She took her water and placed it on her hand, healing the small cuts that had come from the rose's thorns. She then twirled the water around the rose's wilted petals, twisting and coiling the water until it became whole again. "I just know how to make it beautiful again."

XXX

It was later that night, long after Sokka and Katara had fallen asleep. Aang was the only one still awake, and he was finding it hard to sleep.

"Aang?" Katara asked, rolling over in her sleeping bag towards Aang. "What's wrong? Why aren't you asleep yet?

Have you had another nightmare?" Strange how every time he was awake at night, that's what she assumed.

He shook his head. "No, no nightmares. I just can't sleep."

She got out of her sleeping bag and sat beside him, curling like a cat near the fire. "Want to talk about it?"

"Not really." He said quietly, huddling his knees towards his chest.

She put a warm hand on his shoulder. "Aang, you know you can trust me. You're my best friend; I would never, ever do anything to hurt you."

_Can I trust you, Katara?_ He thought idly. _You've already gone back on one promise—you said you'd never hurt me._

_Guess what, Katara?_ He thought bitterly, the tiniest hint of anger reaching his thoughts. _You've hurt me now._

It was a perfect broken heart; warped and bent until he was no longer sure if he was the bad guy or the good guy in this situation.

She kissed his forehead like she would a brother, looking down at Aang, eyes filled with hope. "I'll always be here for you, Aang. If you ever want to talk, I'll be there." Her hand left his shoulder silently as she left his side and headed back to her sleeping bag.

I hope you're right, Katara.

XXX  
END CHAPTER

_What the hell is wrong with me? Why do I feel the need to keep inserting literary devices into fanfiction? This is the second time I've done that! Ah, well, that's a good thing—right?_

_Chapter ended up longer than I wanted it to be. It was just going to be a short little chapter on a Zutara date, then I decided to add Aang and his aangst, then the plot bunnies came and raped me in my sleep. Why do they do these things to me?_

_Jak_


	3. Into the Fire

_Well, I did tell you that the story was going to become dark sooner or later. It just got darker sooner than I expected. Don't worry, there's still some fluff stuck here and there to love._ _Plot twist in this chapter, as well as a small bit of an explanation (one that will probably cause more questions than answers, but bear with me, mkay?)_

_Jak_

**Shattered Fates: Alpha**

**Chapter Three: Into the Fire**

**Jakia**

Zuko walked towards the door with sudden mirth, a light grace kindling in his footsteps as he smiled rather pleasantly, for once in his life. Today had been a good day, after all. And now that it was well into the evening, there was nothing else that really _could_ go wrong with the day. It was also something to be proud of—tomorrow would be his seventeenth birthday, and that was always something good.

It would also be his two-month anniversary with Katara, but that celebration he could keep to himself.

Two months of sneaking away in the night to go see her. Two months of secrets, two months of lies. Two months of small, brief kisses that made his heart pound. Two months of holding hands and _laughing_. Spirits knew how long it had been since he just laid back and _laughed_, but with Katara it seemed so easy, so natural, as if laughing had been something he had always done, and always knew how to. When he was with her, it was sudden easier to laugh, to smile and to just be happy. He had forgotten how to, really, but it had gotten to the point where the mere thought of Katara could make a shy smile appear on his face, a rosy tint appear on his face that had nothing to do with the heat, and thoughts, _awful, wonderful_ thoughts would enter his mind along with her.

It most certainly was a good day for Zuko.

At least it was, until fate decided to show up to prove a point.

"Grandmother," Zuko said with a scowl as he kneeled before the two old women now onboard his and Azula's ship. "Great Aunt Zhi. To what do I owe this pleasure?"

Grandmother, the High Fire Lady, Zara, lifted her nose to her grandson in spite. "Where is Azula?" The old bat barked. "I expect to be greeted more like royalty and less like an _exile_--" she spat the word out towards Zuko with such nastiness it tainted the very air around her "--next time, Zuko." She did not bother to hide her shame and obvious dislike for her grandson as she strutted past him, head held high and nose soaring up into the air.

"My apologies." The Prince answered, with all the fake sincerity he could muster. "But may I ask why you are here?"

Zhi looked down at him coldly. "It is Azula's seventeenth birthday tomorrow!" The croon snarled. "We have come to make sure she has a--" she bit her tongue as she spoke "--_proper_ birthday."

Zuko ignored the fact that they had forgotten it was _his_ birthday, too. He was all too used to the two gargoyles to be offended by them much more. "I'm afraid Azula is ill, Great-Aunt." He answered plainly. "So you've come all this way for nothing." It took all his patience not to smirk at the two women at their horrified looks.

"She is ill?" Zara gasped, holding a hand to her chest in fright. "What ails that sweet and innocent child?"

"Better yet," Zara's twin scowled. "Where is the doctor? Who is looking after her?"

"_I _am looking after her, Great-Aunt." Zuko answered, sounding rather frustrated at the moment. "And she is not so terribly ill, just unfit for company."

Zara's eyes narrowed. "We are not company. We are her family."

"Important family, though, and I think Azula would appreciate it if you just went home." Zuko commented with a wry smile.

Zhi held a look of contentment, as if she was about to agree with her grandnephew before she stopped herself. "Perhaps we should stay and look after Azula ourselves, seeing as _you _aren't doing all that fine of a job."

Zuko's jaw dropped. "What do you mean, I'm not doing a good job? Who else do you see here looking after her!"

"Then why did you just now arrive home, if you are taking _such good care _of your darling sister, hmm boy?" Zhi clicked her tongue with all the demeanor of a snake that had caught its prey between a rock and a hard place. "Where have you been?"

"Great-Aunt, Grandmother—" A quiet voice, so unfamiliar that it caused the whole family to turn and look to the source, called out.

It was Azula.

Her cheeks were pale; her gold eyes flickering and her body covered by a mountain of blankets and robes. Zuko hoped his relatives could not see through the pile of clothing, for there was a round lump in Azula's center that held a child—an innocent babe, all things considered.

Zuko let out a sigh of relief. At least his sister had the sense to hide herself before showing up before their relatives.

"Azula!" Zara cried out, running to her granddaughter. Her sister was not far behind. "My goodness, what is wrong, child? You are so pale…" In truth, she was no paler than she usually was, but her disheartened face and downcast eyes made her look pale. "And so cold! Warm yourself up, Princess! I know I've showed you how--"

"Can't. Doctor said not to use my bending." She said easily, wrapping the blanket tighter around herself.

Zhi clicked her tongue. "Poor girl. Here, sit down! You need to rest." She wrapped one arm around her grandniece and escorted her to a convenient chair. "Did the healer say what was wrong, dearest?"

"Mild case of pentapox." Zuko interrupted when he saw Azula at a loss for words. "She got off lucky—usually it can get pretty bad, but she has a rather mild case of it."

"Pentapox!" Zara screeched, holding her hands up to her mouth. "I know I've heard of that before…"

"Didn't Jen's son die of pentapox?" Zhi added, sounding worried. Zara gasped.

"Your right! He did! My goodness, child, and Zuko left you by yourself?" Zara snapped, turning her attention back to the Fire Prince. "You ought to be ashamed of yourself, boy, leaving your poor little sister here alone while she was sick!"

Zuko was about to bite back a reply when Azula interrupted. "I told him to go, Grandmother." She lifted her hand, waving it in the air in a dramatic fashion. "It's his birthday tomorrow, too. It's no fair that he has to stay and watch over me on his birthday, especially since he's been taking _such good care_ of me." She said the last few words with extra emphasis, as if she was actually being honest in her retort.

Zara scowled. "Well, he won't have to worry about that anymore, because you are coming back to the Fire Nation with us immediately."

Azula's eyes went wide. "Grandmother, I can't, I—" But Zara brushed her off.

"Azula, I don't think you realize how serious pentapox can be! That can last _years_, darling,"

"At least another five months, according to the doctor." At least that part wasn't a lie; the baby would be born in five months, then they could both go home.

"And I don't want to see you ill for that long!" Zara continued, ignoring Zuko's commentary. "If we take you back to the capital, then you'll be treated by the best and will be better quicker."

"No, Grandmother." There was a sense of finality, an aura of power in Azula's voice as she spoke these words. "I promised my brother I would help him capture the Avatar, and I intend to do so." There was darkness in her words, a sense of shame of having to sink down so low. But if she wanted her child hidden, her name left untainted, her honor kept, then she would have to help Zuko.

_Reality is a bitch, isn't it, 'Lula?_ He wanted to smirk, and it took all his willpower not to do so. _Welcome to the real world._

Zhi's eyes narrowed softly. "The Avatar—you mean you still have not found him yet, boy?" Her eyes peered around the ship closely. "I should have known. Without Iroh to guide you, you are a mess, aren't you? I bet you haven't a clue where he is, do you?"

It took all of his strength not to throw a fireball right in the old woman's face. _How dare you speak about Uncle! _"I've been too busy looking after Azula to look for the Avatar, Grandaunt."

"Well then it's a good thing we're here now, isn't it!" Zara shrieked. "Now you can continue your search, and prove you aren't so worthless! We'll look after Azula now." She wrapped her arm around Azula protectively, shielding her away from the rest of the world. "Come along now, child, you need your rest." She crooned, steering Azula back to her room.

"And Zuko?" Zhi stopped following her sister and grandniece, turning her attention again to the boy behind her. "You _will_ capture the Avatar, very soon. Either you will," Again her eyes darkened, a sense of hatred boiling deep within them, "or Zara and I will. And if we capture the Avatar," She spoke the next few words barely above a whisper, but Zuko heard them loud and clear.

"You will _never_ return home."

She then clicked her heels and left, leaving Zuko alone in the room.

And the day had been going so well, too.

XXX

"Zuzu, you still awake?"

"Yes, and don't call me that." He whispered to his sister, opening the door to his room to allow her in. She walked in rather gracefully for a woman who was four and a half-months pregnant, her stance still as elegant as ever. She sat on the edge of his bed; her knees curled up towards her chest to the best of her ability. She sighed in exasperation before continuing.

"We need to talk."

"You think?" He whispered harshly as he shut the door, throwing his thumb over his shoulder where the two old croons were resting.

Azula bushed him off. "Don't worry about those two—I drugged their tea, they'll be dead asleep by now."

"Do they know?" He asked cautiously, taking a step forward. "Do they know about the baby?"

Her eyes widened in shock. "Of course not! Don't be ridiculous! I told you, you were the only one who I told. No one else knows." She rubbed her stomach carefully, her eyes filled with concern. That in and of itself was a strange sight to see on Azula; the Fire Princess usually cared about no one outside of herself. "I would be banished—_executed_ if Father ever found—if he ever…" Her breath hitched slightly; she did not need to continue. Zuko knew well the matters involved with banishment and exile. He did not need Azula to explain it to him any farther.

Which explained how Zuko was involved in this little predicament in the first place. Honor and marriage took high, high priority in the Fire Nation. A woman with child who was not married was considered lower than dirt in the Fire Lands. They were to be scorned, not pitied, not helped. The bastard child, too, would be considered an abomination, the pure and final result of sin itself, and would be executed upon birth, if not before. The mother would be killed as well. Only in extreme cases, such as Azula's, would the mother be allowed to live, and that would only be because her rank or title would save her from death. Save her from death, perhaps, but not from ridicule or exile.

Zuko did not care much for his sister, let alone her unborn child, but he did not know if he could live with himself if he let them die, either.

"You never did tell me who the father was, you know." Zuko commented lightheartedly, willing to change the subject to best of his ability.

"I told you enough." She smirked.

Zuko scoffed. "_Barely_. You said he was a Firebender and he was dead now. That only leaves, what, half the world?"

"I told you enough." She spoke again, her voice softer than before. "Besides, that isn't what I wanted to talk to you about, anyway." She crossed her legs in lotus position so that Zuko could also sit on the bed across from her.

"What did you want to talk about, 'Lula?" He addressed his sister by her nickname in retort.

She ignored him. "The Avatar. I agreed to help you capture him, so long as…"

He waved her off. "I will keep my end of the bargain if you keep yours."

She nodded. "I know that. I was just saying." She let out a deep breath, getting off of the bed and walking around Zuko's room. "It seems our plan is going to have to be put in action sooner than we thought."

He raised an eyebrow. "Do you really think we'll be able to hold the Avatar captive for another five months, at the earliest?"

"Of course not, don't be foolish!" She snapped at him. "But having him here will prove we aren't worthless and will get Grandmother and Great-Aunt off our backs until the baby is born. More than likely they'll head home, thinking that we'll be there shortly after them. And they're right. We _will_ go home, Zuko." Her eyes darkened at the word home. "You, me, and…" She rubbed her stomach tightly. "…And the baby, too. We'll all go home with the Avatar in tow. I'll make sure of it."

"If we set the plan off early, it won't work again. They aren't so gullible, you know. Some of them are actually quite clever." He thought of Katara, but shook the thought out of his head. Soon, that wouldn't matter anymore. He just had to be patient.

She scoffed at him. "I realize that. But I have a better plan." She snapped her fingers coldly, a blue fire igniting between them. Even though she was across the room, Zuko could feel the heat of the small flame flare throughout the room.

He stared at her callously. "I thought the doctor said not to use your bending, Azula."

She laughed. "The doctor doesn't know what he's talking about!" The fire in her hand grew larger by the second. She smiled; it was a harsh, wicked smile that carried with it all of Azula's hate. "My child will be a bender." She whispered, more to herself than to her brother. "I can feel it. I can feel the heat in my stomach, I can feel it add to my own flame."

She held out her palm and closed her eyes. Little by little the blue flame grew and grew until it became so bright and warm that Zuko had to shield his eyes away from it.

Azula gave him a small smile as she opened her eyes. "Did you see that? Did you _feel_ that?" She laughed, an uneasy sound to Zuko's ears. "That wasn't me. That was the baby." She chuckled. "That was _my_ child." She laughed again, this time louder and with more power. "That was _my _child! Oh spirits, feel it!" She grabbed her brother's hand and placed it on her round tummy. "Do you feel it?"

Indeed, he _did_ feel it. The heat surrounding the lump was warm, too warm, and with it came a sharp _kick_ that had Azula near tears.

"Oh Zuko." She whispered, the tears now steadily flowing down her face at a growing speed. "Promise me, _promise me!_ That when you're Fire Lord, you won't—you won't let them take him away! That you won't let them kill my baby. Don't let them kill my _son_, please?"

Zuko did not answer with words, only held his sister tightly as she cried against his shoulder.

XXX

"Whatcha doing, Katara?" Aang asked softly as he watched Katara bend the water back and forth, sweat trailing on her brow. She stopped what she was doing to breathe, turning to Aang with a smile.

"Hello Aang. I'm just making a present for Dante. You know, my _boyfriend_." She said the last word with a little lovesick sigh, and it was all Aang could do not to cringe. "It's his birthday tomorrow, and well," She wiped the sweat off of her face before bending down to pick up what she was shaping with the water. In her hands was a small dragon, a tiny ice sculpture so crystal clear it looked as though it could have been made out of glass rather than ice.

"It took me a while to figure out how to get the ice so that it wouldn't melt, but I think I finally got it down right. What do you think? Do you think Dante would like it?"

Dante had been her made-up name for Zuko whenever Sokka had questioned her about him. ("Well, what's his _name_, at least?") Aang didn't know where she got it from, but she had, and with it came a whole fabrication of lies about this 'Dante'. He came from an earthbending family, but wasn't a bender himself. His family was in the spice trade, and they traveled around a lot. As it was, they were heading to Omashu as well to deliver a batch of rare tealeaves, so that was how she was still able to meet up with him on their way. He went to the Fire Nation a few times with his family, so that was why he had a Fire Nation jacket. As far as looks went, he had long dark hair that he kept back in a ponytail, and a pleasant smile that could warm the room. His eyes were large and green; so green, in fact, that if you looked at them in the sunlight they would almost look _gold_.

"I think he'd like it." Aang smiled at her. "He'd be silly not to."

She returned the smile graciously. "You think? I hope so." She twirled the water around the small dragon figurine, adding a few last-minute touches to the small dragon.

"Do you love him?" Aang asked curiously. Katara almost dropped the figurine.

"Do I…what?" She asked, sounding shocked.

"Do you love him?" Aang repeated, genuinely amused at Katara's reaction. In the past two months he had managed to convince himself that Zuko wasn't all that bad of a guy—after all, he had been the Blue Spirit and had rescued him once, so he couldn't be all bad, right? Besides, Katara had yet to come back injured or afraid; in fact, she seemed truly _happy_ whenever she came back from seeing Zuko, and while it broke Aang's heart to admit this, he would rather see her happy and with Zuko than miserable and with him.

Besides, there were other fish in the sea. He was only twelve, almost thirteen. He would meet other girls. He was almost sure of it.

"I don't know." Katara finally answered, her eyes fixed on the dragon statue. "I mean, I _like _him, but love him? I don't know…that seems too serious, almost. I'm not sure what to say."

Aang grinned, putting his hand on her shoulder. "Well, you'll figure it out, I'm sure. Now, aren't you suppose to be meeting some birthday boy soon…?"

Katara looked up and gasped. "My goodness! I'm late! I said I'd meet him—Oh no, oh no, here Aang, hold this—where are my _shoes_?"

For five minutes she ran around like a possum chicken with it's head cut off, looking for shoes, a jacket, a hairbrush, occasionally stepping on Momo and priding herself on only tripping over Appa once.

"Forgetting something?" Aang asked, bemused as he handed her the figurine. She smiled.

"Thank you so much Aang. You're a lifesaver. SOKKA, I'M LEAVING NOW!" She yelled, hoping to get through to her brother, who was currently sharpening his boomerang by the riverbank.

"BETTER BE BACK BY NINE-THIRTY OR I'M COMING AFTER YOU!" Sokka yelled back, reminding her of her curfew. She rolled her eyes. "AND DON'T ROLL YOUR EYES AT ME! I CAN STILL SEE YOU, YOU KNOW!"

She rolled them again for good measure, causing Aang to laugh. "I'll see you later, Aang. BYE SOKKA!" She waved towards her brother before turning away from the two and leaving.

"HEY, SEE IF YOU CAN GET SOME MORE TEA OFF THAT GUY! THAT STUFF WAS GOOD!" Sokka added from his place by the river, a good few feet away. Far enough that they had to yell to hear one another, at least.

"I WILL, SOKKA, GOOD-BYE!"

And so, she left.

XXX

A pair of arms wrapped around his shoulders tightly from behind as he turned around and returned the favor generously. A light kiss woke his from his daydreaming, and he smiled widely at her before kissing her back.

It would be the last time he would get to do this; best make the most of it.

"Happy birthday." She whispered, her arms still entwined with his own.

His eyes widened in pleasant surprise. "You remembered."

"Of course I did." She said off-handedly as she untangled herself from his arms. "I got you something. Close your eyes."

He did as he was told, tapping his foot patiently while he waited for her.

"Okay, you can open them now." He did, and was surprised at what he found.

In her hands was a small crystal dragon statuette, but it was beautiful. The glasslike markings were so realistic it looked as though a see-through dragon was napping in her palm.

She placed it in his hand gently. He was astonished to find that it was _cold_.

"It's made of ice, not crystal." She explained at his shocked look. "I made it myself—don't worry, it won't melt. I think you could light it on fire now and it wouldn't melt."

"I'll keep it away from the heat just in case, though." He laughed as he admired the small dragon in his hand. "It's _beautiful_—and you made this yourself?" She nodded, sounding genuinely pleased at his reaction. "I'm impressed. How did you know I was born under the Dragon sign?"

She blushed. "I didn't. I just knew that the dragon was a common Fire Nation animal…it is, isn't?"

He nodded. "Yeah, but they aren't that common. I hear you have to be a really powerful Firebender in order to have one come to you. Avatar Roku had one, but I don't know of anyone recently who has."

She smiled as she closed his palm around the statuette. "Well, now you have a dragon all of your own, don't you?"

A horrible feeling in his gut began to shake him, one that made him feel sick as guilt began to plague him like nothing he had ever felt before. He shouldn't be doing this. He shouldn't be here, with her. He didn't--it was wrong, so very wrong, and yet…

"What wrong?" She asked softly. His sudden guilt must have showed on his face, because her concern was nearly instant.

"I don't deserve you." He spoke delicately, honestly. She surprised him again with her answer.

"I know you don't." She leaned in and gave him a quick peck on the lips. "But you got me anyway, so just be happy." She ran her hand through his hair, causing him to smile.

_Here goes nothing._

"I got something for you, too." He lied, pulling her away from him temporarily. He bent down and went through his bag, looking for something.

"Here," He said, handing her a box of tealeaves. "Do you want this? I don't drink the stuff, and Uncle," he winced inside as he spoke "Uncle loved it. Had a ton of it all over the ship. You said your brother and the Avatar liked it last time. I figured someone might as well enjoy the stuff."

She took the box out of his hand and lifted the lid, taking in the smell of jasmine and ginseng. "It smells delicious, thank you."

"I wouldn't drink it until you're about to go to bed. The stuff is pretty strong…it will put you right to sleep."

"Alright. I'll try some tonight. Thanks again, by the way."

_Forgive me._

"Don't mention it."

XXX

"You're late. _Again._" Sokka muttered, tapping his foot impatiently. Katara only smiled at him.

"Don't complain too much. I got you some tea."

Sokka grinned. "Why didn't you say so? Grab a pot and let's boil this stuff!" Aang tossed him the pot lightly through the air, and Sokka caught it with ease. "What flavor is it this time?"

"Ginseng and jasmine mixed." She read as she tore off the top of the box. "It smells good."

Aang bounced over to the riverbank and bended some water towards their campsite ("Try to keep your arms closer together when you bend!" "Katara, I'm not even practicing!") while Sokka poked and prodded the fire into a blaze.

"When I was at the Temple, we use to drink stuff like this all the time. Jasmine was always my favorite." Aang noted as they poured the leaves into the boiling water. He lifted his nose up carefully to the pot, taking in the scent. "Huh? It smells differently than I remember."

Sokka pulled out a ladle and began to pour the tea into the three cups. "Might just be a different blend." He took a large sip of the tea and almost gagged. "This is strong…much stronger than the other kinds. Tastes good, though. It's just strong."

Before, Aang would have been suspicious about the tea, knowing it came from Zuko's hands. But the Prince had given them the tea before (almost once a week) and it had never had any harmful effects on the trio, so Aang assumed that what Zuko said was true (Aang only spied on them three more times—honest!): The tea had belonged to his dearly departed Uncle, and the Prince, having no use for the tea, had simply wanted to get rid of it.

Aang believed it. Katara believed it. Sokka probably wouldn't believe it, but Sokka rarely believed in anything.

Katara blushed before she took a sip of her own. "He warned me that it was stronger than usual. I guess I should have told you guys."

Aang smiled. "It's okay. Besides, it is really good!"

None of the trio saw the Fire Prince watching them from a hidden spot beyond the trees, and as they drifted into a deep slumper, it was probably better that they hadn't. Sleep and broken dreams don't mix well.

XXX

"You two, grab the Avatar." Zuko snapped in a hushed whisper. There was no reason to whisper; the poison-laced tea would have the trio in a deathlike sleep until this time tomorrow, at the earliest. But it didn't hurt to be careful. "I want at least five of you to drug and carry the Air Beast. Grab the small one, too."

"What do you want us to do with the two Waterbrats, sir?" One of the soldiers whispered, gesturing towards the sleeping pair.

Zuko's breath hitched. "Leave them. They are of no use to us."

"No." A quiet and delicate female voice called from behind. "Take them as well." The dark-cloaked figure stepped out from the shadows, holding the cloak tightly around her body.

"Azula, you should be back at the ship, _resting_." Zuko glared, while the soldier's gaze went back and forth, unaware of which sibling he was supposed to listen to.

"I have rested enough, brother, and trust me when I say I am fine." She glared at him. "Take the two Waterbrats with us. Put each of them in separate cells, as far apart as possible. I will tend to them myself personally in the morning."

Zuko returned the glare, but Azula did nothing. Zuko knew it would do him no good to argue with his sister; she was far too stubborn, much more so than him. Still, he wished she would listen to him, if just this once.

As the soldier reached down to pick Katara up, Zuko stopped him. "I will carry the waterbender. Tend to the boy and the Avatar, or the two Air Beasts." He ordered.

The soldier nodded and did as he was told, grabbing Momo by the tail and stuffing him in a bag, and despite the lemur's loud screeches of protest, the trio did not stir one bit. It was the bison they were having difficultly with, for the large animal required much more of the poison to subdue him and was much harder for them to carry.

Zuko lifted Katara easily, as though she was as light as the iced dragon she had made him. He held her body tightly as though he feared she would shatter in his arms under his touch, carrying her lightly through the forest.

Azula gave him a curious look. "Why are you carrying her?"

_Guilt_. "Because I do not trust the men with her."

She raised an eyebrow. "Why, is she important?"

_Very_. "No sense in seeing another innocent life hurt."

Now Azula was really curious. "Do you plan on keeping her as a concubine when we get home?"

_No, never_. "I don't know. Maybe."

Her face softened, almost with pity before she held her head up haughtily. "If you must, brother."

_Will you ever be able to forgive me, I wonder?_ He asked himself as he looked down at the sleeping girl in his arms. She had an innocent smile pasted onto her face, as if there would still be happiness, still be hope, come morning.

_I'm sorry, Katara._

But not sorry enough, as he carried her into the fire.

XXX  
END CHAPTER

_Well, that was a doozey to write! Sheesh!_

_Next chapter I'm looking forward to.:) Rating may have to go up and everything. It will be dark. This chapter will look like cotton candy compared to next chapter, if everything goes according to plan. (Which it might not. This chapter certainly didn't.) _

_And before anyone has to ask: Zara and Zhi are the two old croons that hang around Azula in season two. At least my interpetation of them. And Zhao is the baby's father, only Azula doesn't want to have to admit that._

_Thanks!_

_Jak_


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